CRINMAIL 763

16 March 2006 CRINMAIL 763

 

____________________________________________
 

- UN REFORM: General Assembly Creates New UN Human Rights Council [news]

- COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: Fiji Workshop on the Implementation of the Concluding Observations [report]

- DISABILITY CONVENTION: 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Committee [event]

- REFUGEES: Fuel Alternatives & Protection Strategies for Women and Girls [report]

- SEPARATED CHILDREN: Implementation of the Dublin II Regulation [report]

- EMPLOYMENT: Development Officer – Children in Scotland [job opportunity]

____________________________________________

Your submissions are welcome if you are working in the area of child rights. To contribute, email us at [email protected].
Adobe Acrobat is required for viewing some of the documents, and if required can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

____________________________________________

UN REFORM: General Assembly Creates New UN Human Rights Council [news]

In an historic vote, the United Nations General Assembly yesterday voted overwhelmingly on a resolution to establish a new Human Rights Council to replace the much-criticised Human Rights Commission.

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 170 in favour with 4 against – the United States, Israel, the Marshall Islands and Palau – with Venezuela, Iran and Belarus abstaining.

Welcoming the vote, which follows months of negotiations, Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who first suggested the creation of the new Council in a report to the General Assembly one year ago, said it gave the UN “a much needed chance to make a new beginning in its work for human rights around the world.”

In opening remarks to the Assembly before the vote, General Assembly President Jan Eliasson, who led the often contentious negotiations, called the session a “decisive moment” not only for human rights but for the standing of the UN as a whole. 

Eliasson highlighted several elements that would make the Council a “significant improvement” on the Commission. 

  • membership has gone down from 53 to 47 and is to be elected by an absolute majority. Candidates will be elected on their human rights commitment. De facto permanent membership is eliminated;
  • a new provision gives the GA the ability, through a two-thirds majority vote, to suspend the membership of a Council member that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights;
  • the Council is to hold three sessions per year for no less than ten weeks with the ability to hold special sessions upon request of a Council member with support of one-third of the Council;
  • the Council would be a subsidiary body of the General Assembly and thus have a higher institutional standing;
  • a universal periodic review of all UN member states subject all States to guaranteed scrutiny. 

In a statement, Mr. Annan, who is travelling in Africa, thanked the Assembly President for his efforts, but acknowledged that this was “only the first step in a process of change,” adding that “now the real work begins.”

“The true test of the Council’s credibility will be the use that Member States make of it. If, in the weeks and months ahead, they act on the commitments they have given in this resolution, I am confident that the Council will breathe new life into all our work for human rights, and thereby help to improve the lives of millions of people throughout the world,” Mr. Annan noted.

He went on to say that while the resolution “gives us a solid foundation, on which all who are truly committed to the cause of human rights must now build,” no country would be wholly satisfied with every paragraph, although such was “the nature of international negotiations.”

The Council is expected to convene its first session on 19 June 2006 following the elections of members on 9 May.

More information

US statement explaining vote against Human Rights Council

Summary of statements by Member States on the Human Rights Council

Statement of support by Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

For all the latest news and NGO statements on the Human Rights Council, visit: http://www.crin.org/chr/news

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD: Fiji Workshop on the Implementation of the Concluding Observations [report]

The Treaties and Commission Branch of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, in cooperation with a host government, organises regular regional and sub-regional workshops to follow up on implementation of the Concluding Observations of the treaty bodies.

The objective of such workshops is to raise the awareness of Government officials and other stakeholders with respect to the Concluding Observations of the Committee of the Rights of the Child and further promote their implementation. It provides a chance to better understand the achievements and constraints in implementing child rights and the United Nations CRC recommendations at country level.

The last workshop was a national workshop organised in Fiji last month, on 21-22 February. Fiji ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on 13 August 1993. Its initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child was considered on 25 May 1998 and recommendations or "concluding observations" were adopted by the Committee in view of assisting Fiji in implementing the Convention at country level. Fiji's second periodic report is overdue since 2000.

Participants included Governmental representatives from various concerned ministries, representatives from the Judiciary, from NGOs, from the Fiji Human Rights Commission, from the Pacific Regional Rights Resources Team and from UN agencies. The two-day workshop focused on four main themes identified in the 1998 recommendations:
-independent monitoring mechanisms
- corporal punishment, child abuse and sexual abuse
- right to education
- juvenile justice

The Report on the Fiji National Workshop on the Implementation of the Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child is now available. It provides recommendations and common ground for action on each theme.

Similar follow-up workshops have already been organised by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in partnership with UNICEF, in Damascus (subregional, 2003), Bangkok (sub-regional, 2004), in Hanoi (national, 2005), Doha (subregional, 2005) and in Buenos-Aires (subregional, 2005).

For more information, contact:
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Committee on the Rights of the Child
8-14 Avenue de la Paix, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel: + 41 22 917 9000; Fax: + 41 22 917 9022
Website: http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=7434&flag=report

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

DISABILITY CONVENTION: 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Committee [event]

Date: 14-25 August 2006
Location: New York, USA

The 8th session of the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities will take place this summer. The aim of the 8th Ad Hoc Committee meeting is to reach a final agreement on a draft disability Convention in order to submit it to the General Assembly for its adoption, hopefully at its 61st session.

The Ad Hoc Committee was established in December 2001 with the aim of considering proposals for a Convention to protect and promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. The Resolution that created the Committee also invites "States, relevant bodies and organisations of the United Nations system, including relevant human rights treaty bodies, the regional commissions, the Special Rapporteur on disability of the Commission for Social Development, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations with an interest in the matter to make contributions to the work entrusted to the Ad Hoc Committee." 

The 7th session of the Ad Hoc Committee took place from 16 January to 3 February 2006. More than 400 representatives from governments and leading disability organisations from around the world attended the session. The International Disability Caucus (IDC), the umbrella group for disability organisations, played a crucial lobbying role. For the first time, six children and young people with disabilities addressed the Commission on 18 January, urging participants to address the exclusion and neglect of an estimated 150-200 million children with disabilities around the world. 

At the end of the 7th meeting, the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee published a revised text of the Convention, based on the negotiations that took place at the 7th meeting. From the perspective of children, very real progress has been achieved at that session. Although there are some specific proposals that Save the Children, within the International Disability Caucus (IDC), were pressing for, and which have not been included, namely:

  • prohibition on sterilisation of children
  • prohibition on institutionalising children on the basis of their disability - however, IDC have managed to get strong language in Article 23 on support for families to prevent segregation, and an obligation to provide alternative care in the community 
    specific obligation to ensure that all children's services are accessible and available for children with disabilities - the Chair would probably argue that this is covered by provisions in Article 19 which require that community services are available on an equal basis with others.

The issue of whether or not a stand alone article on children with disabilities will be retained will be decided at the 8th session. However, even if the current text of Article 7 is moved to Article 4, General Obligations, the Chair has made it clear that nothing in the present text of Article 7 should be lost.

More information

News updates on disability issues and the drafting of the Convention

UN website on the Disability Convention

CRINMAIL 747: Special Edition on the 7th session of the Ad Hoc Committee

Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=7265

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

REFUGEES: Fuel Alternatives & Protection Strategies for Women and Girls [report]

The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children has launched a report on ways to mitigate widespread violence against displaced women and girls as they collect firewood.

Despite the known dangers, many women and girls must collect wood to sell or cook with in order to survive in conflict situations around the world. This report outlines a number of practical solutions that could save thousands of women and girls from being attacked.

“Every day, millions of displaced women and girls must collect firewood for their families in dangerous conditions, and are at risk of rape, assault, abduction, theft, exploitation and even death,” says Women’s Commission Executive Director Carolyn Makinson. “They have no choice—it’s a matter of survival. It’s time for the international community to take coordinated action to address this problem.”

Beyond Firewoord: Fuel Alternatives and Protection Strategies for Refugee Women and Girls, addresses alternative fuel options, firewood collection techniques and other protection strategies that should be used in displaced and refugee situations worldwide.

Case studies in the report highlight the problems women and girls face in collecting firewood in Darfur and Nepal. Sexual assaults on displaced women and girls outside displaced persons camps in Darfur are commonplace. The research in Nepal, where Bhutanese refugees have received kerosene since 1992 and where they also use alternative fuel options, has found that sexual assaults outside the refugee camps are relatively rare.

“Although rape and other violence during firewood collection is a serious problem, it is one that the international community can do something about now,” Makinson says. “To be effective, however, these strategies mush be coordinated and accompanied by the development of alternative income generation activities.”

Key Recommendations:

  • The United Nations should consider providing fuel to displaced families in the early days of an emergency.
  • National and international security forces should provide transportation to firewood collection sites and/or routinely patrol the routes.
  • Humanitarian agencies should promote fuel-efficient technologies and alternative fuels to lessen the need for firewood.
  • These solutions must be coordinated by one agency, implemented in consultation with refugee women and coupled with income generation activities.

To read the report, visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=7653

Read more about the rights of women and girls and International Women's Day 2006

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SEPARATED CHILDREN: The Implementation of the Dublin II Regulation [report]

Save the Children and the Separated Children in Europe Programme have welcomed a proposed review of the Dublin II Regulation by the European Commission. The Dublin II Regulation, which was adopted in February 2003, sets out the criteria for allocating responsibility for examining asylum applications to the Member State where the applicant first entered European territory.

Save the Children has drawn up specific recommendations that Member States should fulfil when implementing the Dublin II Convention to improve protection of the rights of asylum seeking children and responses to their specific needs.

Key recommendations:

  • The European Commission should call on all Member States to develop and implement child-friendly asylum determination procedures that are appropriate and responsive to the needs of separated children.
  • An independent and skilled guardian should be appointed as soon as a separated child is identified. Additionally, such children should also be provided with quality legal representation.
  • Member States should ensure that separated children are consulted during the process and that theirs views are given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity (as enshrined in art. 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child).
  • Children should have an opportunity to state their preferred outcome and they should be allowed to comment on the procedures followed under the Dublin II Regulation.
  • Immigration and asylum staff working with separated children within the Dublin II procedures should receive appropriate training in the skills necessary to work sensitively with children.  

Read the recommendations in full: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=7651

More information

Dublin II Regulation

Separated Children in Europe Programme and EU Asylum and Immigration Policy

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

EMPLOYMENT: Development Officer – Children in Scotland [job opportunity]

Children in Scotland is looking for an experienced officer to develop and promote Enquire, the Scottish advice and information service for additional support for learning. The successful candidate will contribute to marketing, publicity, quality assurance, publications and line management of the service. 
 
Enquire is managed by Children in Scotland and funded by the Scottish Executive. The service is available to parents and carers of children and young people with additional support needs, to children and young people themselves, and to professionals working with them.
 
Closing date for applications: 11 April 2006
 
For more information, contact:
Maggie Rankin
Children in Scotland,
Princes House, 5 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh EH2 4RG
Tel:  +44 (0) 131 222 2402; Fax:  +44 (0) 131 228 8585
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.childreninscotland.org.uk

____________________________________________

The CRINMAIL is an electronic mailing list of the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN). CRIN does not accredit, validate or substantiate any information posted by members to the CRINMAIL. The validity and accuracy of any information is the responsibility of the originator.

To subscribe, unsubscribe or view list archives, visit http://www.crin.org/email.

____________________________________________